Felicia Shanken selected as Top Women’s Empowerment Strategist by IAOTP

Felicia Shanken will be honored at the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) annual awards gala

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, September 18, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Felicia Shanken, Founder, PWNC & PWNC Foundation Inc. and Keynote Speaker, was recently selected as Top Women’s Empowerment Strategist for 2025 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for her outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry.

Inclusion with the International Association of Top Professionals is an honor in itself; only a few members in each discipline are chosen for this distinction. These special honorees are distinguished based on their professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, longevity in the field, other affiliations, and contributions to their communities. All Honorees are invited to attend the IAOTP annual award gala at the end of this year for a night to honor their achievements.
www.iaotp.com/award-gala

With over a decade of experience in the industry, Ms. Shanken has certainly proven herself an expert in the field. As a dynamic, results driven leady, Ms. Shanken is an International Keynote Speaker, Award-Winning Entrepreneur, and Founder of Philadelphia Women’s Network Connection, LLC and PWNC Foundation, Inc. (501c3,) a certified EDWOSB and MBE organization dedicated to empowering women small business owners and solo entrepreneurs.

She has helped individuals and organizations turn vision into action through leadership and business development, digital and social media marketing, and equity and inclusion training. Her work bridges the gap between knowledge and execution, equipping entrepreneurs and professionals with the tools, strategies, and confidence they need to grow, lead, and succeed.

Ms. Shanken has had the honor of serving city, state, and local governments, B2B organizations, universities, and private sector partners, helping them strengthen their teams, expand their reach, and build inclusive communities. Whether she’s speaking on an international stage, leading a workshop, or consulting one-on-one, her mission remains the same: to educate, empower, and elevate others to create lasting impact.

Ms. Shanken hosted a Digital Show, which launched in January 2021, and an International Podcast with the same name, "Unapologetically Me," which launched in November 2021. She decided to focus on growing both her for-profit and non-profit businesses after leaving those shows. They gave entrepreneurs and businesspeople the opportunity to share their tips and tools on being successful in their business. In addition, they gave those who had made an impact in their community the opportunity to share about their cause.

Areas of expertise include, but are not limited to leadership & business development, diversity, equity & inclusion training, Google digital small business training, digital marketing (constant contact authorized local expert), business building strategies & growth consulting, and workshop facilitation & corporate training.

Before embarking on full-time entrepreneurship, Ms. Shanken earned her Associate of Science in Nursing from Gwynedd Mercy University. After graduating, she decided to pursue her entrepreneurial career. Before leaving the corporate world permanently, she worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Philadelphia, PA, for 9 1/2 years.

Throughout her illustrious career, Ms. Shanken has received many awards and accolades and has been recognized worldwide for her accomplishments. “Fun Times Magazine” featured her in its March/April 2020 edition as part of the “2020 Philadelphia Who’s Who Black Women of Influence.” Moreover, “International Brainz Magazine” recognized her as an influential leader and business owner for small businesses in December 2020. In May 2021, she was named one of the “Top 50 Most Influential Women in Business” by “VIP Global Magazine.” “USA Today Black History Month Special Edition Magazine” acknowledged her for being a black-owned business in February 2022. Additionally, in the same month, “Alignable” named her the Local Business Person of the Year for Lower North Philadelphia. She is also a Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women: Black in Business Graduated Alumni, May 2023.

Lastly, her work was recognized in the Philadelphia Inquirer’s April 2023 write-up on Women-Owned Businesses in Philadelphia, The Global Institute for Human Excellence’s June 2023, “The Women Success Builder.” Lastly, this year she was awarded, "Trailblazer Award of 2025" by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and featured in the "Top 100 Magazine for Innovators and Entrepreneurs." This year she will be considered for The Empowered Woman Award and a feature in TIP (Top Industry Professionals) Magazine. She will be honored at IAOTP's annual awards gala at the remarkable Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas this December for her selection of Top Women’s Empowerment Strategist for 2025.

The President of the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP), Stephanie Cirami, stated: "Choosing Ms. Shanken for this honor was an easy decision for our panel to make. She is inspirational, influential, and a true visionary and thought leader. We cannot wait to meet her and celebrate her accomplishments at this year's gala."

Looking back, Ms. Shanken attributes her success to a strong values-based leadership style, a passion for her work, the courage to speak the truth, and genuine compassion for others. When not working, she enjoys traveling, eating and spending time with her family. In the future, she hopes to continue to grow her organization and empower women across the globe to find their voice and their success.

For more information please visit: https://phillywnc.org/


About IAOTP

The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) is an international boutique networking organization that handpicks the world’s finest, most prestigious top professionals from different industries. These top professionals are given an opportunity to collaborate, share their ideas, be keynote speakers, and to help influence others in their fields. This organization is not a membership that anyone can join. You have to be asked by the President or be nominated by a distinguished honorary member after a brief interview.

IAOTP’s experts have given thousands of top prestigious professionals around the world, the recognition and credibility that they deserve and have helped in building their branding empires. IAOTP prides itself to be a one-of-a-kind boutique networking organization that hand picks only the best of the best and creates a networking platform that connects and brings these top professionals to one place.

For More information on IAOTP please visit: www.iaotp.com

Stephanie Cirami
IAOTP
+1 212-634-4427
email us here

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